West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-04-08

DlOycu O.OVO O'SAo' NJ -
has grown to 1926 ovens, but s.
800 Of these ovens arc under the
control of single syndicate, l,646
are owned by manufacturers who
consume their own products, and
only three small firms, with 500
ovens. are outside Of and in compe-
tition with, the syndicate. ms
syndicate is made up OF three great
firms and they rule the coke indus
try. About one third of the capaci-
tv. under syndicate control, is owned
bv various smaller firms who run
their works as directed by the syn
dictate and turn over their entire
products to it at one-fifth the aver
age price. With this advantage over
any outside producer, the syndicate
enjoys an impregnable prosperity,
both in fat years and in lean. 1t
directs the proportion of the trade
which shall run or stand idle; de-
cides the rate of wages for the entire
coke industry, as well as for its own
labor. and fixes the price of the pro-
duct by such surprising fcats as its
recent advance Of so cents per ton,
or one-third of the former price.
The Cotton Seed Oil Trust Com
PAW is another combination, and
the presence of some leading Stand
ard Oil capitalists, and the adoption
of its methods of consolidation,
manifests the paternity of scheme.
This Company now manages 80 per
cent. of the capacity OF the Cotton
Seed Oil Mills Fixes the price OF
oil and ordains the price which the
planter shall get for his cotton seed.
The full effect of this monopoly has
not vet been realized, but the plant
ers have had some admonition, OF
what may be expected, by redue
ton, averaging So per ton, in the
price of seed. This reduction trans
ferred from the pockets of the plant
ers to the pockets of the combina-
ton 100000 year, and the Cot
ton Seed Oil industry is as yet only
in its infancy.
1t is not difficult to forecast either
the growth or the profits of mo-
nopnly which is affected by combi
nation and fostered by the railroad
managers. 1t has been one of the
social phenomena of the time that
after an era of general reduction in
prices and with an almost infinite
expansion of the field of production,
the price of butchers beef is main
tanned nearly at the old level of
value. Modern invention permits
the transportation of dressed beef
from the far West to New York.
But the railroad pool fixes the
freight on the principle that the
consumer of dire ssed beef must pay
as much freight on q POUND of it as
he would have to pay had it been
shipped on the hoof, viz: the rates
are fixed so as to discriminate
against dressed beef. And the rail
road manager referred to, tells us
that ethere is no abstract principle
of right or wrong, honesty or dis
honesty, to which such questions
can be referred" The. discrimina-
ton against dressed beef in favor Of
beef on the hoof cost the consumers
at New York and New England
points last year 81 600.
When the units Of dollar q ton
on anthracite. ten cents n gallon on
petroleum, 25 per cent per ton on
coke, one cent per pound on beef and
S5 per ton on cotton seed are multi
piled in the aggregates of consnmp-
ton. it can be seen that the burden
imposed on the masses for the ben
eft OF interested capitalists are
counted by the ten millions annual
ly: and it no longer appears strange
that the valuation of these monopo-
lies is expressed by the hundreds Of
millions. If such results be effected
in the first and experimental ten
years of combination, what may not
be done during the next Ten years?
If the monopoly of five industries
has created fortunes aggregating
between five hundred and 4 thous-
and millions, what vast prizes may
not be gained by those who perfect
and extend the policy Of combina-
ton to all branches Of manufacture
and to the supply of every article of
necessity? And whenever industrial
process is under combination rule, so
that people at large must pay such
prices and accept such wages as the
combination dictates, what limit
will there be to the profits of the
capital which represents these com
binations?
Men are so busy with their pri.
vate affairs that they have little time
TO reach comprehension OF the
dangers before us.
What is the source Of the power
over competition which gives these
combinations existence and securi-
ty? 1t is their ability to exclude
competition by their control OF the
routes of transportation.
FEDERAL PATRONAGE.